Freedom From Conformity
For me there is a fine balance of what books I choose to buy and put on my TBR shelves. Here is my formula, such as it is:
Historical Fiction
Literary Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Award Winners
Authors who are not American
Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Romance
and the most important: Banned/Challenged Books
Whenever I’m searching through the stacks at library sales or elsewhere, I am always drawn to books I’ve heard discussed throughout the Blogiverse as well as those I feel I should’ve read in school, but didn’t.
At home, I was into Mary Stewart, Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, and . . . wow, I never noticed until this very minute that I read very few books written by men. Other than in school of course. And yes, one of the complaints regarding the Canon, is it’s lack of diversity. Being born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 60’s and 70’s probably has a lot to do with why I bridle, even now, against conforming to what I believe are outdated standards. That when I look at my bookshelves, I am proud of the diversity I see in it’s make-up.
But I digress. Or maybe not.
I firmly believe that it is because of this unique upbringing, that I’m drawn to books that fulfill a need to see the world from so many different sets of eyes and listen to it through various voices.
However, not everyone is as open-minded. Hence why two weeks a year are set aside to highlight books that have been challenged by those who wish to ban them. Some successful, some not. One week is promoted by the Pelham Library in Canada, the other by the American Library Association (ALA).
Personally, I don’t like being regulated to celebrating our freedom to read only two weeks a year. I do it every single time I buy a book I want to read, regardless – perhaps in spite of – the fact others have tried to take away this privilege.
This year, I decided I wanted to personally challenge myself to read one challenged/banned book a week during the month of September. After mentioning this on Twitter, asking if anyone wanted to join me, I received several positive response. Because of this, I am inviting anyone who follows me on Twitter or reads this blog to join us.
If you wish to participate, either visit the ALA website, or check out my Challenge/Banned Books Project list to find a book, or books, you would like to read.
You can read as many, or as few as you like. But try to read at least one. The point is to express your support by reading a book others feel you should not, and have gone as far as to try to restrict or remove them from circulation.
ADDENDUM: Once you’ve read your book, and if you have reviewed it, please go to the Banned Books Challenge Page and use Mr. Linky to let me know.
You do not have to blog about this. You do not need to make a list. Just follow your heart, read what YOU want, and then share your feelings about the experience in any way you see fit. Twitter it. Blog it. Talk to a friend, a parent – all of the above.
Let them, and us know, what it meant to you to express your Freedom To Read:
We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.
The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.
– Excerpt from The Freedom To Read Statement
Not only words to live by, but to read by. Don’t you agree?
Banned, Challenged, doesn’t matter what you call it. If someone is telling a non-relative (parent to child is a different thing) what they can and can not read – IT IS WRONG!
I understand where parents are coming from but please, educate your children and discuss with them what their friends/classrooms are reading and BEFORE you condemn a book, maybe you should actually read the whole thing!
Um, maybe this is a sore spot. I can read a banned book during the week. I’ll even buy a new one.
1No books have been banned in the USA for about a half a century. See “National Hogwash Week.”
Well, there is an author who wrote a sequel to Catcher in the Rye who might beg to differ. And yes, I cannot recall any true book bannings in the U.S. since Ginsberg’s Howl. However, many books are challenged every year by groups hoping to get them banned. As far as I am concerned, the effort made to educate the public any way we can, is justified.
Also see “US Libraries Hit Back Over Challenges to Kids Books,” by Sara Hussein, Agence France-Presse [AFP], 6 September 2009.
Given “American Library Association Shamed,” by Nat Hentoff, Laurel Leader-Call, 2 March 2007, I ask anyone reading this to explain why the ALA views book burnings, bannings, and jailed librarians in Cuba as NOT censorship, and why people legally keeping children from inappropriate material IS censorship.
I may be too naive in such matters, but I think that any reading that link above, should read this also: ALA supports IFLA in urging the Cuban Government to eliminate obstacles to access to information imposed by its policies and support for an investigative visit by a special rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights with special attention given to freedom of access to information and freedom of expression, especially in the cases of those individuals recently imprisoned and the reasons for and conditions of their detention be fully investigated.
Why does the ALA not only refuse to assist jailed Cuban librarians, but go further and actually thwart efforts by others to assist them? Why should members of the public consider the ALA to be authoritative on the definition of what is censorship in local public libraries?
Indeed, why should local libraries care one whit about an organization actively blocking efforts to assist jailed and beaten Cuban librarians and associated censorship and book burnings?
I see the previous two comments as a means to spread an agenda that has nothing to do with the matter at hand.
I thought about not approving this comment as it seems this same person has been leaving these same statements on many of the blogs promoting Banned Books Week. However, Mr. Kleinman does have a right to express an opinion. So I am approving it, but with my own comments (in italics). Although I must say, I really bridle at the fact that all this seems to be a vehicle for someone’s personal and/or political agenda against the ALA and/or its policies.
2I’m so sorry you had issues. I’ve never used it before, and after this may be unlikely to in the future.
I have added a contact form to the botton of the actual challenge page located by using the tabs at the top of this blog.
I will add your information manually, so no worries.
And thank you for joining!!
3Here is the link to my post about joining this challenge.
4http://byhookbook.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-read-banned-books.html
I just posted my official announcement for this challenge on my blog with some links to applicable books that I’ve already reviewed. I also included a list of books that I hope to do this month as well! Here is the link: http://tiftalksbooks.blogspot.com/2009/09/banned-books-challenge.html
One question, I had a hard time getting your Mr. Linky to work. I don’t know if it is just my computer, but I am unable to access it. Will you help me out with this?
5No, no, no. Not stupid. I just haven’t posted a way for you to do that yet. Off to discover the wonders of Mr. Linky and get it up and running.
6I’m not sure where I’m supposed to post the books we read? I’ve looked around and apparently I’m just too stupid to find it. I read Like Water for Chocolate, and posted about it here: Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
7I’ve joined in the challenge!
http://astripedarmchair.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/whats-better-than-challenges-more-challenges/
8As I look over the list of banned and/or challenged books since 1900, I am proud that I have read many of them. Many of these books are classics which made someone uncomfortable. In a land that supports the first amendment so strongly, it is a shame that we continue to challenge and ban books.
During September I intend to read the following books:
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
9Beloved by Toni Morrisson
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Awakened by Kate Chopin
I have several banned books on my TBR list. Who knows if I’ll actually make it to any in the month of September, but I’m certainly going to try! Here I’ve posted about what I might try to read: http://nosebook.mapledesign.ca/?p=568#content
10Count me in. I have several of these already on my shelves.
11I’m definitely in!! I’ve already mentioned it on my blog, but will have an official post up soon! I will come back to leave you a comment when I do!
12As I said on Twitter, I’d love to join you!! I’m hoping to have the time to read 4 in september!
13I definitely want to do this!! Many of the books on the list are my favorite books of all time!!!! I will be leaving on vacation tomorrow but when I get back, I’ll be picking out some books for the challenge and writing about it on my blog.
14I’m in!
http://browngirl.weebly.com/2/post/2009/08/banned-books-challenge-2009.html
15I just got around to blogging about this!
http://bibliofreakblog.com/challenges/challenged-challenge/
16I never knew how many I had until I read the lists. Sad that there are so many, but glad that we still have the right, and freedom to read them.
Thanks for participating LFC!
17Good for you Nymeth! Even reading one challenged book makes a statement – at least in my book. (pardon the pun)
They do have some great things over there. In fact, they have a banned books bracelet I’ve had my eye on for quite some time.
Thank goodness I’m poor!
18Thanks for signing up Melissa. Looks like some great reading. I keep meaning to get American Psycho but worry it will give me nightmares. I’d like to see what you think. Maybe it will help me come down off the fence!
19Pam and Becky pointed me this way – I’d love to participate
I happily sport an “I read Banned Books” button on my name tag at work and push them off on all my coworkers.
I’ll try for two that month – The Satanic Verses and The Naked and the Dead since they’re both on my shelf. If I polish off American Psycho in September then that will make three
Thanks for hosting.
20ROTF Great answer haha.
21Here you go, my challenge info
Thanks for hosting this!
22The title of the post is “Freedom From Conformity” – uhm…..
LOL
23How come the books in your stack are not in alphabetical order? How can anyone live like that?
24Even if I don’t manage one a week, I’ll read at least one for sure. Taking you for putting that list together! And thank you for promoting this.
On a side note, I love this year’s ALA buttons so much. I was looking at their store and they sell them as actual buttons. So tempting.
25I’m down. I’ll be reading:
26Flowers in the Attic [x] V.C. Andrews
Fahrenheit 451 [x] Ray Bradbury
American Psycho [x] Bret Easton Ellis
1984 [x] George Orwell
I’d love to do this! Reading banned books always appeals to me. Just my little way of getting back at those who banned them in the first place, and many of them are really good at probing difficult issues in ways that make us think. Unfortunately I have none of the books on the list with me, although I haven’t read a lot of them. I’ll see what the library has in September and get back to you, although I think I’ll probably go with A Clockwork Orange or Brave New World. Or both!
27I can definitely do this. In fact, I always love reading a book to figure out why in the world people were all upset over it to begin with. I’ll have to pick a few options that I might want to read.
28I am so in! I’m going to read: A Clockwork Orange, The Children of Earth (book 1), The Great Gatsby, and All the Kings Men!
29Was gonna read Pillars of the Earth so count me in on the challenge since I saw it on your list.
30I am going to read Catcher in the Rye, finally. I don’t know what else, but definitely that. I hate that the kid read it before me. I am proud to say we have lots of banned books in this house.
YAY!
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